Work clamping mechanism



A c. L. EKSERGIAN 1 :1 AL 2,381,657

' WORK CLAMPING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 8, 1942 INVENTORS: CarolusL. Ek sergian& BY Joseph iHLCoombes,

Patented Aug. 7, 1945 asnpswv I I I WDEK CLA HNG tober" haudfingapparatusy articular td work clamp m mechanrsmw -Thi primary pbject or;the presentinvention' is" to 'provide work claniping mechanisriipf newand" improved coristructioiiand embbdymg; I relatively"e"ecdnbmicallyfmanufac A furth er obj e'ct is -to-pro'vi-de aworkclampin'g mechanism with clamping?aws' capable argueping a workpiecewithconsiderable pressureand whidh mayf-berapidly actuated into and outof clamping 'positibn'."

With the above and other objects in view which will be apparent from thefollowing description to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, the present invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described withreference to the accompanying drawing and then claimed.

In the drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the work holder;

Figure 2 is a horizontal fragmentary section through the work holder,the gripping jaws being shown in plan;

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1; andFigure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the mechanism incomplete longitudinal section and clamping a smaller sized workpiece.

Referring to the drawing, the clamping mechanism of the presentinvention includes a pair of work grippin jaws II'I pivoted to a commonpivot pin II which is carried by the yoke end I2 of a rod I3. The jawsIll adjacent the pivot pin II are formed with cam faces I4 which divergeaway from the pivot axis.

Surrounding the rod I3 is an elongated sleeve I5 an open end I6 which ischamfered to form an annular cam surface engageable with the cam facesI4, and a closed end I! through which the rod I3 extends, the end I!carrying a suitable packing I8 which surrounds the rod I3. Interposedbetween the closed end I! and the yoke I2 and surrounding the rod I3 isa coiled compression spring I9 which normally urges the sleeve I5 in adirection away from the jaws Ill.

The sleeve I5 i slidable within a cylinder having an end wall 2| throughwhich the rod I3 extends, the rod. I3'having a shoulder 22 engagoaromsL.' -'Eksergiam and Josephinm C'o'om-b'es'l Detr oitpMichi;lassignorstovBuddoWheeldComw palry, BhiladelphiapPa a corporationohPenn- ,4;edits. (01. w th I I l I -suitable sourceprflilidf ressure, not shown;we" passage 26in"tli'e rod I 3;- whichpassage' epentThearrangementhscribed may besupporfed by any suitable supporting means.In the embodiment shown a support 30 is provided with a cylindricalportion 3| which slidably receives the cylinder 20. The cylinder is heldin place in the portion 3I by a locking arm 32 pivoted by screw 33 tothe portion 3I to move into and out of a circumferential locking groove34 in the cylinder 20. A handle 35 is provided for swinging the arm 32out of the groove 34 to permit removal of the clamping mechanism as aunit from the portion 3 I.

Upon admission of fluid under pressure through conduit 25 to the space28, the sleeve I5 is moved forwardly, the cam surface thereof ridingagainst the cam faces I4 of the jaws II) to pivot the jaws toward eachother into clamping position about the workpiece W. Upon release of thefluid under pressure, the spring I9 moves the sleeve I5 rearwardly and acompression spring 38 between the jaws I0 urges the jaws ID outwardlyaway from each other.

As illustrated, the jaws II] have two sets of work engaging faces 36 and31 for gripping different sizes of workpieces. Figure 1 shows the faces36 in clamping position about a large sized workpiece, whereas Figure 4shows the faces 31 in clamping position about a smaller sized workpiece.

By removing the nut 24 the jaws and actuating piston or sleeve can bequickly removed from the cylinder 20.

Various changes may be made in the detailed construction and arrangementof the parts described without departing from the spirit and substanceof the invention the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Work handling mechanism comprising in combination, a fixed support, aplurality of work clamping jaws carried by said support and mayabletoward and away from each other, respectively, into and out of workclamping position, said jaws having cam surfaces, a sleeve slidablycarried by said support for movement toward and away from and engageablewith said cam means,

compression spring; means, resiliently urgi-ngsaid sleeve away fromsaid-cam surfaces, and means I for moving said sleeve against theresistance of said spring means in the direction of said cam. means tomove said jaws to work clamping position.

2. Work handling mechanismcomprisingin combination, a cylinderclosedwatrone. end andv open .at-its other end, a rod member within saidcylinder and rigidly secured to said closed end,

a plurality of work clamping jaws pivoted to said rod member forrelative movement intoandfout of work clamping position and having camsurfaces, a piston slidable in said cylinder and having an annularportion surrounding said cam' surfaces, means, for moving said piston ina-direction towardsaid cam surfaces to pivot said jaws to work clampingposition and means vfor moving said piston in the opposite direction tofree said jaws, for pivoting movement out of work clamping.

position.

3. Work handling mechanism comprising in combination, a fluid'pressurecylinder and reciprocablepistontherein, certain adiacentends of saidcylinder and piston being closed to 'form a fluid pressure chambertherebetween, the opposite adjacent ends ofjsaid cylinder and pistonbeing 1 of said piston against the resistance of said first mentionedcompression spring means being arranged through said cam surfaces topivot said jaws to ,work clamping position.

- 4. Work handling mechanism comprising in combination, a cylinderclosed at one end and open at its other end, a rod member within saidcylinder and rigidly secured to said closed end,

a plurality of work clamping jaws pivoted to said g rod member forrelative movement into and out open, support within the open end of'saidpiston and fixed relative to said cylinder, aplurality of work clampingjaws pivoted to said'support and of work clamping position and havingcam surfaces; a piston slidable on said rod and within said cylinder,said piston having a skirt portion extending around said jaws and havingportions engageable withsaid cam surfaces, compression spring meansurging said piston in a direction;

away from said cam surfaces, resilient means urging said iaws'out ofwork clamping position with the' cam surfaces thereof in engagement withsaid piston skirt portions, and means for moving said piston toward saidjaws against the resistance of said spring means ,to cause said skirt Yportions through engagement with said cam sur- Iaces'jto move said Jawsinto work clamping position.

, CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN.

JOSEPH H. COOMBES.

